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10 Easy Tips to Deal with Hot Sweats During Menopause
One of the ways women first know that they may be going into menopause is experiencing hot sweats at night. The hot sweats aren't fun. You are trying to sleep, you are hot, sweaty, tired, sweat drips down your body but you don't want to move because you are trying to sleep, yet the bed is damp, the sheets soaking and you can smell your own sweat. Gross.
Let's look at what the hot sweats are, how long they last for, and 10 easy tips to deal with hot sweats during menopause.
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The Hot Sweats Aren't Just At Night!
Even though we are focusing on things to do for hot flushes at night, hot flushes can occur at any time of day (sorry!). They creep up on you too - just all of sudden, you feel warm that rises up from your chest, makes your face red and then the sweats start. Hot flushes can last from just 30 seconds through to 30 minutes or more.
In rare cases, with hot flushes you can get nausea, light-headedness or even severe anxiety.
How Long do Hot Sweats Last in Menopause?
I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news here, but hot flushes can last from 7 to 10 years after menopause begins.
10 Easy Tips to Deal with Hot Sweats During Menopause
1. Lower the Temperature in Your Bedroom
A cool bedroom has always meant a cosier and better sleep, but when it comes to the hot sweats at night, a cool room can be a god-send! Open windows to get a nice breeze, put on a ceiling fan to circulate the air, and if the weather is hot and you have one, pop on the air conditioning.
2. Invest in Bamboo Sheets
I love bamboo sheets. They don't get too hot, they wick away the sweat and they are lovely and cool. Once you go bamboo - you can't go back!
My recommendation: Morrisey Bamboo Luxe Sheets - they aren't expensive and they are beautiful and soft to sleep on!
Stockist: Catch
3. And Bamboo Pyjamas
Whilst I'm on the bamboo bandwagon, Bamboo Pyjamas are also fantastic. Again they are lovely and cool, feel nice against your skin and if you sweat, the bamboo absorbs it and wicks it away whilst still allowing your skin to breathe. Always size UP when it comes to pyjamas too - as clingy pyjamas can make you feel hotter.
I buy all my bamboo pyjamas from Boody. Yes they are a bit pricey, but they last and last, and are just so lovely to wear.
Stockist: Boody
4. Avoid Eating Spicy Food and Drinking Alcohol Before Bed
Spicy foods and drinking before bed can make you more anxious and therefore more likely to experience the hot sweats at night. So make them an occasion thing and avoid them just before bed if you can.
5. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight
No body shaming here, but the more excess weight you have on your body, the more 'sweaty' you get at night. So maintaining a healthy body weight will certainly assist with your quality of sleep.
6. Go for an Afternoon Walk
Walking is pretty much the very best daily exercise you can do - not only to maintain a healthy body weight, but walking is great for mental health too! Regular exercise will help you fall asleep at night. 10,000 steps per day is the recommended amount of walking.
I like walking in the afternoon when it cools down, and it gives you a bit of time to yourself.
7. Take a Wet Face Cloth to Bed
When I lived in tropical north Queensland, we had no airconditioning. The only way we could get cool at night was to take a wet face cloth to bed, and when you get hot, just wipe your body over with the wet cloth - instant relief.
It is a cheap and easy option that you can add to your bedtime routine. And then just throw it in the washing machine in the morning!
8. Listen to a Meditation Podcast at Bed Time
If you are stressed when you go to bed at night, you are far more likely to have a hot flush. So combine relaxation with sleep, and listen to a meditation podcast at bed time. We recommend the following:
Sleepy Bedtime stories for adults. The stories are obscure, lullaby-like and boring which help you drift right off.
Another Podcast by Drew Ackerman (he also does Sleep with Me). Game of Drones are 90 minute rambling stories that bore you to sleep.
A lengthy series of calming music mixes.
And if you are a fan of listening to podcats to go to sleep, try a set of Bluetooth Wireless Headband Headphones. They allow you to get comfortable on your pillow and still listen to your favourites.
Stockist: Mysensory Space
9. Invest in a Cooling Gel Pillow
Did you know that there are pillows available that contain a cooling gel to help keep your head cool at night? Because when your head is hot - you are hot all over. Dunlopillo's can be a bit pricey, but they are fantastic!
Stockist: Myer
10. Or a Gel Mattress Topper for a Full Body Cool
Our final recommendation whilst we are trying to get 'cool', is a gel mattress topper. These are surprisingly inexpensive (this one below was just $87.95) and make you not only cool at night, but they are lovely and soft to help you sleep!
Stockist: Myer
These are Peree's top 10 Easy Tips to Deal with Hot Sweats During Menopause. If you have any more nifty ideas on how you deal with the hot sweats that we haven't mentioned, please drop us a line so we can add them to our list.
Happy Sleeping!
Sources:
The National Institute of Health
The Royal Women's Hospital Victoria Australia
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